ANACONDA – 1997
Technically, snakes are reptiles, not amphibians, but a giant snake movie belongs on this list. Anaconda was another great animal horror film featuring a host of big name actors: Jennifer Lopez, Jon Voight, Ice Cube, and Owen Wilson all star in this movie about a documentary film crew that cruises the Amazon jungle and meets up with a creepy snake hunter (Voight), only to meet an untimely demise in the squeezing coils and jaws of a huge anaconda. This is also the first time that I can recall a black actor surviving to the end of a horror film – LL Cool J would also accomplish this great feat of social progression two years later in Deep Blue Sea.
THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS – 1996
If by some slim chance you ever happen to be in the African Savannah and are living in a tent, you might want to consider relocating. Widely considered to be a major bust as a movie, The Ghost and the Darkness was, by my opinion, a hugely successful animal-based horror film. The story is loosely based on a true story from 1898 where two lions played a game of one upping each other and managed to slaughter 130 people over the course of nine months. To me, director Stephen Hopkins captures the intensity that those people must have felt back then. It’s a scary thing to know that something bigger and stronger than you is hunting you down day and night and there is literally no place you can hide. Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas turn in good performances as the two guys charged with hunting down the feline killing machines.
ARACHNOPHOBIA – 1990
So you may never visit Africa and have no need to be afraid of lions, but there is one thing almost everyone has been afraid of at one point in their lives – Spiders! And no other movie has ever captured that phobia better than Frank Marshall’s Arachnophobia. Starring Jeff Daniels and John Goodman, Arachnophobia reminded us why it isn’t safe to just stick your head or hand into dark recesses of a house or barn. Spiders are smaller than us, yes; we should be able to totally dominate them and squash them under foot. But let’s see how brave you are the next time a huge camel spider is crawling on your chest when you wake up. No sir, I don’t like spiders and just like Goodman’s exterminator, it is my job to rid the earth of each one I see.
MAN’S BEST FRIEND - 1993
So let’s just say you’re one of those folks who fights for the right of every animal to live – especially dogs (insert random Michael Vick joke here). Well, how about you go ahead and watch Man’s Best Friend and then tell me how quickly you change your mind! Lance Henriksen is a “mad” scientist that genetically alters a huge hulking dog to have the natural abilities of other animals, as well as an increased intellect. The dog escapes and finds shelter at the home of Ally Sheedy, a reporter and animal activist who doesn’t believe the dog is a killer – that is, until said dog begins hunting her down and killing everything in his path, including a shocked and surprised cat!
CUJO – 1983
Well, I can see how you wouldn’t be scared of a genetically altered canine – there’s really no way an animal of that type could exist… But wait, what about the movie that to this day is synonymous with “Bad Dog?” Of course I’m talking about Cujo, one of Stephen King’s classic horror novels turned film and a film I consider to be in the top three King screen adaptaions, behind Misery, and The Shining. Director Lewis Teague really captures the true feeling of betrayal, heartache and terror as the once loving, protective household pet is turned into a biting, killing animal by rabies. Eventually all turns out well and why no one bothers to just knock the dog out with a bat is beyond me (crazy animal lovers…), but it’s the horror of being confronted with a rabid Cujo that makes you feel helpless in face of a 100-plus-pound animal bearing down on you.
Continue reading about Cats, Birds and Bears (oh my)…
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oh my God .
Arachnophobia scared the Hell out of me.
my and Spiders do not mix well.
ack !
How come there’s never been a horror movie about the Loch Ness Monster?
@neontiger21
there have been a few, the only problem is that the majority of them Suck.
i’d love to see a good nessie Monster flick.
but we can only hope.
Nessie is scary when presented as a documentary, NOT as a movie. She’s (he?) a legend enough as it is.
Pah ha, that feature header is top! Where do you find pictures like that? Brilliant!
Komodo had some pretty scary lizards.
I found most those movie more humorous than scary. My favorite line in Lake Placid was when they found the thumb(?) of one of the victims and the remark was made like “I thought he was taller.” But Betty White WAS the highlight of that movie.
“Lake Placid” was supreme camp that somehow turned into Oscar material if you ask me,,, Agreed Betty White was amazing!!!
“The Ghost and the Darkness”,,, I’ll have to check that out, can’t go wrong with that cast,,,
On hunting Lions,,,
I’ve been confronted by some pretty dangerous wildlife and even with high powered weapons felt a strong sense of, “what if I miss?”
I’m screwed, there’s 5 of them,,,
Lions, Tigers and Bears will kick your butt, if you can’t handle your adrenaline…
^
Cool post,,,
i thought “Ghosts in the darkness” was really good. always loved lions growing up.
i had to bring up a movie called “Prophecy” about a giant mutated killer bear, not to be confused with “Grizzly.”
I can’t remember if it scared me, but I still remember seeing it as a young buck.
great list and topic
just a few animal creepy films as well “Rogue”,”Mimic”,”Food of the Gods” (giant human eating hamster), and “Them”
LMAO @ “They have nine lives, we only have one” HAHAHA
And Frogs, I mean, seriously?? Is that like a miniature hand in its mouth???
I saw that movie Ghost and the Darkness, but don’t remember it, must add it to my list of movies to rent… Wild cats are freakin crazy ass super hunting machines, I don’t think any other class of animals can even begin to compete… Have you seen the special about this guy that trained two Tigers to live in grass lands instead of the forest? What a freakin slaughterfest, he didn’t need to train them at all! lol.
I also loved ‘Ghost And The Darkness”, and the most interesting thing about it is that the really dumb parts actually happened. All the smart stuff (including the Michael Douglas character) was made up. But I never really considered this a horror, but I can see the appeal to horror fans.
I’m a huge ‘Blue Monkey’ fan (giant mantis in hospital flick from ’86), and I keep my eyes peeled for a DVD version. I still have the VHS tape. Better than nothing. I also had a guilty pleasure in “Komodo” (2000) as well. Then there’s “Mimic”, “Deep Blue Sea” and “Rogue”
I’m a little surprised that ‘Jurassic Park’ isn’t on this list, and the sci-fi classic ‘Them!’ is nowhere to be seen, but there is one favorite film of mine that I must mention.
1983′s Of Unknown Origin
Folks, you don’t know what you are missing. Take a overworked biz executive played by Peter Weller, have his hot wife go on an unrelated biz trip of her own, and have the dude become obsessive-complusive in getting rid of one troublesome rat. Not a giant rat. Just big enough to cause damage to furniture, appliances, getting into the food and drink and strong enough to kill a cat. Sure, the body count isn’t real high, it’s basically one guy vs. a rodent. But it’s a terrific film.
@ Paul young
There ahve already been two remakes of Piranha both were str8 to DVD done. I can’t see this new crap 3D ( yes 3D is a POS gimmick that needs to stop) version living up to the original as most new remakes can never capture the essence of the original film.
I’d take the movie Rogue over lake placid any day.
Oh yes why was the movie SLUGS not put on here. ROFL and a half.
James Cameron directed “Piranha2 the Spawning.”
Just fyi…
@ 790
Yes he did, but let’s keep that lock and key :p. The remakes of the Original Pirahna were made by New Horizon’s video (which also made the first live action Fantatistic 4 Movie, and Anchorbay made one as well).
i have almost everyone of those films. killer animal films are some of my favorites,and they dont make enough of them. i liked rogue,and deep blue sea as well. i think steve altens book the loch should be made its got everything anyone would want. i also would love to see meg,creature from the black lagoon remade,birds remade,a very latge taranchula film in the amazon like anoconda,and some more really thought out and greats acrion and cgi animal films with crocs,bears,insects, sharks,and snakes,and beasts.i would also like a jurrasic park 4 that is a little scarier.and off the subject a resident evil remake like the first video game.well thats my opinions.
I would have voted Jurassic park should have made the list…that T rex eating the dude off the toilet and the raptors scared the Bejeesus out of me. Or what about the sci fi classics carnivores with the killer dinosaurs. Also The Edge was crazy where Alec baldwin and Anthony hopkins had to fight off that grizzly bear.
i agree marcusfenix, i have the edge to and jurrassic park 1-3. that part were the guy is attacked by the grizzly and is ripped apart was brutal,but that makes the film feel real and terrifying.directors need to look at these films and study them and make alot more of them,with better acting,great story and graphics like rogue,and anoacondas.i for one would love to see great killer animal films keep coming but only if they are well thought out,i love them.
I tried to read a book years ago called “Alaska Grizzly Bear Attacks”. The book contained true stories of actual attacks.
The book was so graphic that I stopped mid way through,it was that disturbing.
Grizzly Bears are insanely tough to kill and will wipe your face off when confronted. Intense stuff…